Saccade
by Penelope the Perky Penguin
Summary: Lorne joins Sheppard's team on a routine mission. It turns out to be anything but routine. Will Sheppard and Lorne survive? It's not a death fic! Just lots of Lorne whump. Rating for language.
1. Whump

AN: So this bunny wouldn't leave me alone to work on 'Home', so I had to write it. NOT A DEATH FIC! Extreme whump, yes. But not a death fic. I PROMISE!

Disclaimer:

Penguin: It's all mine! I own it all! I just bought them all off Ebay! So happy now!

Sheppard: What the hell did you put in her drink?

Lorne: Nothin…

Sheppard: Well, whatever it was, I want some. That seems useful!

Lorne: Yes, Sir!

McKay: *sighs* No, she doesn't own us. As much as she wishes she did, she still doesn't.

/\_/\_/\

"Major?" Sheppard asked quietly, hoping against hope for a response. "You there?"

He listened as a deep, ragged breath was taken before an answer came, "Yes, Sir." Another deep breath was heard. "I'm still here."

"Good." Sheppard said, thinking back to how they managed to get into this situation.

They had been visiting a supposedly friendly planet, checking up on them, seeing if they needed medical assistance, that sort of thing.

Rodney had insisted he had a big project going and had to stay and watch it, so Sheppard had asked Lorne if he wanted to come along. Never one to pass up an opportunity like that, Lorne had accepted.

Sheppard wondered now if that was such a good idea.

They hadn't even made it to the village before arrows began raining down on them, forcing them back the way they had come.

/\_/\

"_Run!" He shouted as they tried to avoid the arrows. He saw one graze Ronon but the big man seemed alright so he left it alone._

_Teyla managed to get one in her arm, but she didn't seem to be bleeding too badly, so he left her alone as well._

_Suddenly, Wraith blasters began adding to the arrows heading their way. Teyla didn't quite manage to get out of the way in time and a lucky shot had her falling to the ground. Ronon picked her up and easily slung her over his left shoulder, continuing to fire randomly at where he believed their attackers to be._

_So far, only he and Lorne were unscathed. Which was weird, seeing as it was _him_ being shot at._

"_Damn Murphy." He thought as he saw Lorne catch a stray arrow in his gut. He stumbled, but kept going._

_The Wraith blasters began firing more and more, seemingly at him. He thought he saw one of their attackers and took the shot. Unfortunately, it put him out into the open enough that a good shot managed to stun him. He fought the stunner's effects as long as he could, but in the end he collapsed on the ground, his world going black._

/\_/\

"Colonel?" Lorne's pain-filled voice came from beside him, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"I, um, I don't think I'm going to last much longer."

"No!" He shouted into the darkness. "You will stay with me for as long as it takes for them to find us! Do you understand me?"

No answer came.

"I asked you a question, Major!"

"Yes, Sir." Lorne grunted.

Quickly trying to remember what all he had in his pockets, Sheppard remembered he had a small pack of matches there. Finding it, he lit one, holding it out towards where he thought Lorne to be.

The light showed him what he'd hope to not find. Blood.

Lorne's face was pale, his eyes half open and glazed over. The arrow he'd taken had been ripped out, leaving a gaping hole. Thankfully, it wasn't bleeding too badly. But Lorne had still lost too much blood. Infection would start in soon, if it hadn't already, and then they'd be in big trouble.

The match went out, but Sheppard didn't bother lighting another. It would just use up their already dwindling supply of air.

/\_/\

_Sheppard awoke to darkness. Grunting, he tried to shake off the stunner's effects. He thought he was alone until he heard a small groan from near him._

"_Hello?" He called out._

"_Colonel?" Major Lorne's voice carried back to him._

"_Major?"_

"_Yes, Sir. Glad to see, well, hear, that you're awake. Beginning to get lonely in here." Lorne's dry humor wasn't lost on Sheppard._

"_And where exactly is 'here'?" He asked._

"_I wish I knew. I woke up a few minutes ago."_

"_You alright?"_

"_Sort of."_

"_What's that mean?"_

"_It means that I'm probably not going to last long." Lorne was like Sheppard, he downsized his injuries. If he was downsizing them now, or even if he was telling the truth, he was screwed._

"_Shit." He muttered._

"_My thoughts exactly, Sir." Lorne said before a cough came. The cough turned into a coughing fit, but all Sheppard could do was lay there._

"_We're underground?" He asked when the fit subsided._

"_Buried alive would be my guess." Lorne answered._

"_Damn."_

/\_/\

"Lorne?" He called out. It was quiet, a little too quiet. And with the space they were in being about the size of a small car, as far as he could tell, he was beginning to feel a little claustrophobic.

No answer came.

"Lorne?" He tried again.

Still no answer.

Sheppard gave up; Lorne was probably either dead or unconscious. But Sheppard couldn't bring himself to see which. He didn't think he could stand being buried alive with a dead body next to him, even if it was his former second in command.

It was slowly becoming harder to breathe, the air stuffier. Sheppard knew he had only minutes of air left. Closing his eyes, he relaxed. He knew there wasn't anything he could do, but he just hoped that Atlantis could survive without the two of them.

/\_/\_/\

AN: So, still not a death fic! Stay tuned, chapter 2 (and final chapter, most likely) will be up soon. Review, please!


	2. More whump

AN: Thanks to _ladygris_ for reviewing and alerting, _sherry57_ for reviewing and _cfoster_, _kjnh_ & _Ptera_ for alerting! Here's chapter two! Read and review!

_Sherry57_:

There will be only one chapter after this one, so all your curiosities will be explained. Thanks for reviewing!

/\_/\_/\

Sheppard dreamed of his family. Of times when he was younger and he still got along with them.

He dreamed of his Mother, and what she would think of where he was now. He remembered enough to know that she had died only days after his ninth birthday. But still she was there, laughing and playing with him. Telling stories he only vaguely remembered from his childhood.

Suddenly, an unseen force was there, pulling him away from her.

"No!" He shouted, fighting against it. "I don't want to leave!"

"John," His mother said calmly, "You need to go. They still need you."

"But I don't want to go! I want to stay here, with you!" He insisted.

"No, John. It isn't time. We'll meet again, someday. But for now, they need you."

"I miss you, Mom."

"I know, sweetie. Go on, go back to them."

The force began pulling him in earnest and he relented, allowing himself to be pulled away. "I love you." He whispered to his mom before she was out of sight.

Her voice drifted to him, "I love you too."

/\_/\

Sheppard's eyes opened slowly, hoping to see the infirmary ceiling. Unfortunately, all he saw was darkness. He almost didn't think his eyes were open, but then he realized he was still buried.

When his eyes adjusted to the dark, he saw that Lorne was above him, looking extremely concerned for a dying man. He also saw a light coming from somewhere. He figured Lorne had found it somewhere.

"Lorne?" He rasped out.

"Don't leave me, Colonel."

"What are you talking about?" He asked, his voice returning to normal.

"You quit breathing." Lorne explained. "I had to start CPR."

"That explains it."

"Explains what, Sir?"

"Why I hurt."

"That and the oxygen deprivation."

"Yeah." Sheppard agreed. "Wait, when I passed out there wasn't much air left, how are we still breathing?"

"I got a little claustrophobic and started lashing out, trying to get out. My foot hit the side of this little pocket and the wall collapsed, showing another compartment and allowing some fresher air in." Lorne said, moving to lie back down. He tried to hide the wince as he moved his foot, but Sheppard saw it anyway.

"Break your foot?"

"Yeah." Lorne said sheepishly.

"How long ago was that?"

"About an hour."

"Hmmm." Was Sheppard's only reply. He'd given some thought as to how they should proceed, and he'd decided. "Lorne?" He called to the man lying next to him.

"Sir?"

"With the air that we've got left, one would last longer than two. Hopefully long enough for rescue."

"No, Sir."

"What?"

"You're not going to die just so I can last a little longer. Besides, if it does come to that, I should go. Atlantis needs you more than they need me."

"Lor-"

Sheppard was cut off with a sharp, "No!" from Lorne. "I've given this thought and I realized that I'm right. Atlantis needs you more than me. You have the strongest ATA gene, you can control the Chair the best, and McKay listens to you."

"And what do you do?" Sheppard asked quietly.

"I do your paperwork and come rescue your butt when you get captured." Lorne answered, also quietly. "But anyone else can do that."

"Not as well as you."

"You'll find someone, Sir."

Sheppard wasn't that good with emotions, but it sounded like his 2IC wasn't as steady and as sure of himself as everyone thought. "Lorne, I don't know anyone else that knows both the military and the civilian part of the expedition quite like you do. I don't know of anyone else that will put up with me like you do. Damn it, Lorne!" He shouted suddenly. "If I stay, then you'll stay. You understand me?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. Now then, how's your wound?"

"It's stopped bleeding, I think."

Hearing the hesitation and doubt in Lorne's voice, Sheppard picked himself up off the floor and moved to look at Lorne's wound himself.

"Colonel?"

"I'm checking it for myself."

"You don't believe me?"

"Not really."

It was hard to see in the dark, but with the little light they had, Sheppard was able to see that Lorne's wound hadn't quite stopped bleeding completely, but it was only coming out sluggishly. Not pouring out like it had earlier.

"You'll be fine." Sheppard lied.

Lorne laughed, sounding rather maniacal in the small space. His laugh turned into another coughing fit.

Sheppard rolled Lorne onto his side to help him breath, and laid him back down when the coughing subsided.

Sheppard gently took his shirt and wiped away the mix of blood and spit from around Lorne's mouth. Lorne was screwed. They both knew that. Even if they did manage to get out of this mess, would Keller be able to fix the damage?

Their thoughts were broken by a deep, frustrated yell coming from above them.

"I'd know that yell anywhere." Sheppard told Lorne.

"Ronon?" He asked.

"Ronon." Sheppard affirmed. "Ronon! Down here!" He yelled as loud as he could.

A few long, silent minutes passed before they heard anything more. This time it was the sound of digging. "Sheppard!" A dull voice shouted towards them.

"We're down here!" He shouted back.

Within a few moments, the lid of their coffin was opened and sunlight was streaming in, blinding them.

When he eyes adjusted, Sheppard could see Ronon, Teyla, McKay and four Marines standing around, watching them.

He turned to Lorne, intending to help him out. The sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks.

Lorne's face had gone a deathly pale, his eyes half closed. He was flushed on top of the paleness, evidence that he had a raging fever.

Blood was everywhere; on Lorne, on Sheppard, on the floor. Everywhere.

"Lorne?" Sheppard tried getting the man's attention.

He could see Lorne take as deep a breath as possible before he spoke, "It was good working with you, Colonel." Was all he said before his eyes closed. His body went limp and his head turned to the side, hanging like a dead man's.

/\_/\_/\

AN: So, review! I've said it before, and I'll say it again, NOT A DEATH FIC! Trust me on this. I know what I'm doing :-) The next, and final, chapter is complete, I just have to edit and post it!


	3. Healing

AN: And here's the next chapter! I told you it wasn't a death fic!  
Thanks to everyone that reviewed! In response to _ptera_: LOL, I've done that before ;D I actually thought you were one of my friends because I just did the same thing to her! Read and enjoy!

/\_/\_/\

"Lorne!" Sheppard shouted as he tried checking for a pulse. There was none. He began CPR, going through the motions without really thinking about it.

They had just gotten rescued, and _then_ Lorne decided to try to die? Sheppard was _not_ going to let that happen!

Sheppard was seconds away from trying mouth to mouth, not something he was looking forward to, when Lorne gasped, taking in as much air as possible.

"Ow." He said between ragged breaths.

"Don't do that again." Sheppard ordered as he relaxed, sitting back on his feet.

A shadow made him open his eyes. He saw a couple of the Marines, he'd remember their names later, setting a stretcher next to Lorne and sliding him onto it.

Picking him up, they moved out of the hole and headed off out of sight, presumably towards the gate.

Ronon stepped down into the hole where Sheppard still sat. "You coming? Or do you need to be carried?" He asked, a smile on his face.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" He said, allowing Ronon to help him up.

It was slow going, his legs deciding they didn't like walking just yet. Thankfully, the gate was nearby and soon he was being wheeled off to the infirmary.

/\_/\

Two hours later, Sheppard was done being poked and prodded and was lying back in a bed, thinking over what had happened.

Apparently, Ronon had been unable to get to either Sheppard or Lorne and had taken Teyla back to the gate, requesting immediate help. Three gate teams, consisting of Marines and two cloaked jumpers came through to help, but the jumpers couldn't find their subcutaneous trackers.

They had gone to the village to see if anyone there knew anything. Of course, they didn't.

Searching around as best they could, their best guess was that a ship had taken them, or they had been taken through the gate. Unfortunately, if either of those things had happened, finding them was slim to none.

Teyla had woken and insisted on going back to help with the search. No one had dared argue with her.

Heading back to the gate to report in, Ronon had stumbled upon a grave marker. It read 'Colonel John Sheppard and Major Evan Lorne of Atlantis. They shall pay for their crimes'.  
Immediately calling the others there, McKay used the LSD to find that there were indeed two people beneath them. Alive.

All of them had begun digging as best they could, coming upon a metal box. Opening the lid, they stared down at the blood-covered men.

/\_/\

"Lorne?" Sheppard asked, checking to see if he was awake. Lorne had been badly injured, but Keller had said that he would make a full recovery.

Lorne's eyes opened and he responded, "Colonel?"

"You know I'm not good with feelings and stuff, but I hope you understand that I meant every word of what I said while in that box."

"Thank you, Sir."

Sheppard turned to head out, but Lorne's voice stopped him, "Colonel?"

"Yeah?"

"Me too."

Sheppard smiled to himself. Boy, was he glad to be back!

/\_/\_/\

AN: And it's complete! Thanks for staying with me through it!  
Now then, you get to review while I sit here and wait for them ;-D


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